Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Yet legions of followers ofNaasn Joaqun Garcain his home base in Mexico remain fervently loyal to him, viewing his imprisonment as a challenge that will strengthen their church, La Luz del Mundo (The Light of the World), rather than weaken it. Aarn's wife was the church's first member. Sexual assault is never acceptable. I said She was only 14 and you replied I should have brought her to you sooner., In pronouncing his sentence, the judge criticized those who had turned their backs on the victims, saying Shame, shame on you., But none of that seemed to deter his followers and church leaders who claimed the prosecutions evidence was doctored and altered, as they reiterated their support for the man they call their Apostle. A statement from church leaders following the sentencing stated our confidence in him remains intact, comparing his prosecution to a path that God has placed in front of him for a reason, as he did for Apostle Paul.. Read More: Where is Naasn Joaqun Garcia Now? Had it proceeded, the trial might have offered a rare glimpse into the insular world of La Luz del Mundo Light of the World which boasts more than 5 million members. Some knelt and wept. [11], He is married to Alma Zamora, and they have three children: Adoram, Elda, Sibma. Or to keep it anonymous, click here. God has his plan.. And it shouldnt be, the lawyer continued. In other new developments in the pre-trial hearings this week, a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge, citing insufficient evidence, dismissed four counts of extortion and two counts of forcible rape of a minor and unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor against Garcia, a move that was declared a victory by the Apostles supporters. My heart goes out to all those affected by the horrific actions brought to light during this case. "SHAME, SHAME ON YOU!": California judge scolds families for abandoning sexual abuse survivors before sentencing self-declared "apostle" Naasn Joaqun Garc. First published on June 8, 2022 / 3:01 PM. She said she does not think the plea deal will result in a total crisis for the institution.. The religion is "very demanding," said Arlene M. Snchez-Walsh, a professor of religious studies at Azusa Pacific University, a Christian institution near Los Angeles. Matthew Ormseth is a reporter for the Los Angeles Times. ", Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. From the walls hang photographs of Joaqun Garca, smiling and wearing a tuxedo. Naason Joaquin Garcia, the leader of the La Luz del Mundo, Spanish for The Light of the World, appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court, on June 5, 2019. Castillo, a recently married woman of 25, told AP the church advises members how "to lead a decent life," in which women may not drink alcohol or go out on frequent dates. When he was arrested, many of the faithful flocked to churches in the denominations hometown of Guadalajara, but also in Los Angeles and other cities. 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. Outraged by what they saw as a lenient sentence for La Luz del Mundo leader Naason Joaquin Garcia, a group is urging other victims to speak out. Before joining The Times in 2018, he covered city news and state politics at the Hartford Courant. Naason Joaquin Garcia, the leader of the La Luz del Mundo, Spanish for The Light of the World, appears in Los Angeles County Superior Court, on June 5, 2019. Born in Argentina but raised in Los Angeles, Miller is a graduate of Oberlin College and Columbia Universitys School of Journalism. With Naasns grandfather Aaron Joaquin Gonzalez having established La Luz Del Mundo in 1926 and him being a third-generation heir, its honestly no surprise hed gained worldwide notoriety. CBS News Los Angeles: The Rundown (June 8 AM Edition). He initially faced more than 20 charges, but most were dismissed after a plea deal with prosecutors. Most teachings translate into something quotidian. The neighborhood has cafeterias, clinics, a recreation center and a store that sells Bibles and religious-themed games for children. One commenter speculated about whether the terms of the plea deal might call for Garcia to out other alleged abusers in the church. While Naasn maintained he was innocent for several months as he awaited his trial, in a shocking turn of events, he accepted a plea deal just three days before his trial commenced in June 2022. But theyve hit a snag, Randall Emmett, Ambyr Childers settle domestic violence restraining order dispute, California ski resorts brace for an epic weekend of snow, crowds and disruptions, An assault and fatal stabbing in the middle of class at a Santa Rosa high school, With unfounded fraud claims swirling, red California county dumps Dominion voting machines, Man arrested in connection to 7 bombings in Fresno has links to hate group, authorities say, Vote on LAPD transit patrols sparks City Hall debate over safety on Metro system, UCLA, UCSF hospital nurses voice complaints about overcrowding, staffing shortages. Even outside the temple, the sound of his voice stirred emotions among dozens of devotees guarding entries to the sanctuary. After several delays, Garcias trial was supposed to start with jury selection Monday before Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Ronald S. Coen. Even as a California judge declared their leader a "sexual predator," sentencing him to 16 years and eight months for sexual abuse of minors in his congregation, leaders of the Light of the World Church declared their faith in Naasn Joaqun Garca, known as "The Apostle of Jesus Christ," to his five million followers. Naason Joaquin Garcia, leader of La Luz del Mundo church, in court in Los Angeles in 2020. LOS ANGELES, March 21, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- We are shocked by the facts in the recent motion filed by defense attorney Alan Jackson on March 15 in the case regarding the Apostle of Jesus . The bail to be able to leave is 50 million dollars, one of the highest in history. And unfortunately, I see a lot of lamentations of family and family members that are out online saying that they feel very sad, he said. Naason Joaqun Garcia was arrested at the airport in Los Angeles, California, in June 2019. Ocampo has been held in custody for more than a year since her arrest with Garcia on his private jet at the Los Angeles airport by California law enforcement. A fourth defendant, Azalea Rangel Melendez, who was previously charged with rape, is still at-large. Garcia, charged with 23 counts of child sex abuse, is being held on $90 million bail; trial is scheduled for November. The decision by Ocampo followed weeks of testimony by California state agents about her role in delivering young women to Garcia for sexually deviant acts, many of which she recorded on video for him. [6] On June 8, 2022, he was convicted and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months in prison. The alleged crimes committed by Garcia occurred between 2015 and 2019. ", Garca "will continue ministering to the church," the statement said. March 21, 2022 17:02 ET | Source: The Light of the World. This page was last edited on 27 January 2023, at 01:49. Offenders and people accused of molesting children always have a difficult time in prison. Naasn Joaqun Garca, the leader of La Luz del Mundo, pleaded guilty to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act on a child who was 15. The leader of a Mexico-based evangelical megachurch has been sentenced to over 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to three sex-related counts involving minors. Despite the vast publicity and lurid charges, Garcia had maintained almost universal support within the church. Have a tip or story idea? Newsweek has asked the office of California's attorney general for comment on the church's claims. I believe she [Ocampo] was brainwashed, said Martin. Are You Taking It? As a result, he pled guilty to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15 years old. Currently, journalists are not allowed to attend services or take photographs inside the church's temples. Naasn Joaqun Garca in Los Angeles County Superior Court on June 8. Speaking on a podcast called "I Left a Sect," Lo-ami Salazar said Hermosa Provincia used to be her "happy place.". The survivors had objected to the plea deal and said they had only found out about it at the last minute. Just days before his long-awaited trial was set to start, La Luz del Mundo leader Naason Joaquin Garcia pleaded guilty Friday to sexually abusing girls from his congregation, a stunning reversal for a man who followers believe is an apostle appointed by God. Todays conviction sends a clear message that sexual exploitation is never acceptable in California. He is currently charged on more than 30 counts, including possession of child pornography, human. Prosecutors said Garca, who is considered the "apostle" of Jesus by the church's millions of followers, used his position to have sex with girls and young women in the congregation. "I did cry, because I was saying, 'God, deliver me from this, make this time pass quickly,'" Haifa said from Texas. The church contended that prosecutors withheld or doctored evidence, and said Joaqun Garca pleaded guilty because he didn't think he could get a fair trial. Church member Alondra Ocampo was expected to testify against him. Only in September 2020 did the man plead not guilty to the crimes charged against him. Even as a California judge declared their leader a sexual predator, sentencing him to 16 years and eight months for sexual abuse of minors in his congregation, leaders of the Light of the World Church declared their faith in Naasn Joaqun Garca, known as The Apostle of Jesus Christ, to his five million followers. Times staff writers Jany and Ormseth reported from Los Angeles, Miller from Mexico City. Flores died in 2014 and passed the mantle of apostle on to Garcia. To gasps of surprise, Joaqun Garca addressed the congregation by telephone from his Los Angeles prison, where he is serving a 16-year sentence. The investigation began in 2018, in part, because of information submitted to the California Department of Justice through the clergy abuse online complaint form. An arrest warrant has also been issued for Azalea Rangel Melendez, who is currently at large. Moreover, if they denied or hesitated, they were blackmailed by being told how they were defying Gods will. Yet, despite the charges against Naasn, his followers and the La Luz del Mundo continued supporting him and believing his claims of innocence. This included allegations of human trafficking, production of child pornography, forcible rape of a minor, and other felonies. They were suspected of committing 26 felonies in Los Angeles County between 2015 and 2018. It is important to note that criminal charges are only allegations against a person. In 2014, he succeeded his father as the new leader AKA the Apostle of the La Luz del Mundo. If you have any questions please contact: Bilingual Services Program at (916) 210-7580. Faithful attend a Santa Cena or Holy Supper service in the La Luz del Mundo or the Light of the World flagship temple in Guadalajara, Mexico, Saturday, Aug. 13, 2022. And NOW is the time to stand up and fight.. They can never accept responsibility for themselves and for their actions. His continued hold on his flock was evident recently at the Christian church's main temple in Guadalajara, as thousands gathered to pray for their absent leader during their Holy Supper, the most sacred festivity for La Luz del Mundo. The lawsuit includes detailed accounts from the five plaintiffs alleging that they were pressured by Joaqun Garca and his associates into performing for pornographic photo shoots, and were forced to engage in sex acts with him. I know how hard it is for them to see Naason like a normal person that also does bad things, she said. Read More: How Did Samuel Joaqun Flores Die? In 2018, Attorney General Becerracharged the operators of Rainbow Bright, a California adult residential and childcare company, with 59 criminal counts for alleged human trafficking and other alleged labor-related violations. 0 . Many news outlets in Mexico featured Garcias guilty plea on their homepages Friday evening, including the online website Animal Politico and newspaper El Universal. Although, he denied the charges, including raping and trafficking girls from his congregation. [2], He continues to be named as Legal Representative of the church in Mexico in spite of having been convicted of child sex crimes. And theyre accepting that narrative that he had no choice, that he is innocent and this is all still some kind of farce.. The church was founded in 1926 by Garcias grandfather, who was succeeded by Garcias father, Samuel Joaquin Flores. CBS Los Angeles reportedthe California Department of Justice arrested Joaqun Garcia and two other members of the church, Susana Medina Oaxaca and Alondra Ocampo, in 2019. We will hold you accountable if you break the law, Atty. If you see something, report it and we will vigorously pursue justice.. Just on March 21, the Church of the Light of the World demanded Nahson's immediate release, after his defense filed a motion claiming that the California Prosecutor's Office conducted incriminating evidence against him. [1], Joaqun Garca was born on May 7, 1969 in the Mexican city of Guadalajara, Jalisco, the fifth of seven children to Samuel Joaqun Flores and Eva Garca. A St. Paul, Minn., native, Jany studied communications at Mississippi State University. A copy of this disclaimer can also be found on our Disclaimer page. The jailed leader is the grandson of La Luz del Mundo's founder: Eusebio Joaqun Gonzlez, a member of the military who began preaching in 1926. For Raquel Haifa, 43, fulfilling the revivals was a traumatizing experience that she considers abusive, because minors are not able to decline to take part. Nevertheless, there are former members who say their ceremony was not optional. Parents give biblical names to their children and take them to the temple at 40 days old to promise they will guide them to follow their path. [emailprotected]. Not just that, the complaint detailed how the victims were reportedly forced to perform sexual acts and dances in minimal clothing for their Apostle. Naasn Joaqun Garca may be released in December 2032 Aug. 21, 202200:24 La Luz del Mundo is a church that originated in Guadalajara, Mexico, in the 1950s and now has a presence in dozens of countries, including the United States. La Luz del Mundo is sometimes described as evangelical, but its members do not embrace this term. We must not turn a blind eye to sexual violence and trafficking in our state. In a major set back for the defense of Nasson Joaquin Garcia, his co-defendant, Alondra Ocampo, has pleaded guilty to four felony counts involving the sexual abuse of minors and is now prepared to testify against him at trial in California. Ahead of the baptism, in a ritual known as "the revivals," children undergo days of prayer and fasting inside a temple. One of the perpetrators was Naasn Joaqun Garcia, the third leader of the organization, who was accused of sexually abusing and even trafficking countless young children over many years. While Flores was never charged with a crime, Garcias arrest and the subsequent charges against him made international headlines. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. Sochil further alleged that her aunt and a foster mother groomed and coerced her into forcibly serving the church leaders. [3][4][5] Two days before his trial, Naasn Joaqun Garcia pleaded guilty to three charges related to sexually abusing children. As for their professional standing, while Alma allegedly serves as a social worker, Adoram has been linked to the Mexican soccer promotional league. During services, the women sit to the right and men to the left. Emailus. The case against him came as a result of a tip in 2018 to a U.S. Justice Department website that was created to help people report abuse by clergy. The California attorney generals office, which is handling the case, also had accused Garcia of coercing underlings to recruit young girls for him to sexually abuse. "This is a path that God has placed in front of him for a reason, as he did for Apostle Paul.". At the California Department of Justice, we will continue to stand up for survivors and fight back against abuse. As of writing, the case is still being deliberated in a court of law. "The Apostle of Jesus Christ has had no choice but to accept with much pain that the agreement presented is the best way forward to protect the church and his family," it continued, adding that he had wanted to spare the church and his family "weeks of unfounded public accusations" and threats. Since having carried out harassment of minors, touching and rape. Apart from Naasn, his mother, wife, brother, and children were named in the lawsuit for being aware of the abuse. [8], He was transferred to North Kern State Prison for evaluations to determine his placement within the prison system. They urged Judge Ronald Coen to impose a longer sentence, but he responded that his "hands are tied" by the agreement. Garcia, he said, abused his authority to take advantage of children, while relying on his underlings to groom congregants for the purposes of sexual assault., Todays conviction can never undo the harm, Bonta declared, but it will help protect future generations.. On June 8, 2022, Naasn was convicted for the three charges and sentenced to 16 years and 8 months behind bars. A California appeals court ordered the . However, his wife Alma Zamora de Joaqun, with whom hed tied the knot in 1992, reportedly does not enjoy the same status in any of the 50+ countries wherein the church has a presence. While he maintained his innocence for three years, Garca has . As a documentary series that lives up to its title in every way imaginable, HBOs Unveiled: Surviving La Luz Del Mundo can only be described as equal parts gripping, riveting, as well as haunting. 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